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4 ORE GONGBNTRATOR. No. 416,626. Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

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N0. 416,626. Patented Dec. 3, 18189.Y

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UNITED STATES JOI-1N B. IRVIN, OF SPARTA, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF rONE-HALFTO LUTHER PATENT OFFICE.

T. WOODS, OF ST. LOUIS, AND CHARLES D. MOODY, OF VEBSTER GROVES,

MISSOURI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,626, dated December3, 18.89.

` Application filed August 9, 188'?.

To all whom` t may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. IRVIN, of Sparta, Oregon, have made a newand useful Improvement in Ore-Concentrators, of whichA the following isa full, clear,`and exact description. l

This improved concentratoris adapted more especially for line placergold, such as is found in the beds of streams in gold-producingdistricts. Its construction, described generally, is as follows: Anexcavation is made in the bed-rock of the stream, and in the excavationa'. system of gold-saving cells or pockets is formed. The system isextended upward and downward and also across the stream, and it ispreferably divided longitudinally into two or more parts, over either orall of which the stream may be turned, and thereby carry thegold-bearing earth over the cells or pockets, into which the particlesof gold` drop, while the earth is mainly borne along with the water anddischarged beyond the concentrator. The current is diverted from anypart ofthe cells whenever it is desired to recover the gold therefrom.

The most desirable mode of carrying out the improvement is exhibited inthe annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a horizontal section on the line l l of Fig. 2,which in turnisa verticaltransverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is aVertical longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l. y

The same letters of reference denote the same parts.

A represents the concentrator. As it resembles a flume, it may forconvenience be so termed.

B represents the bed-rock, which is excavated at b to receive the fiume.

C, Fig. 3, represents the gold-bearing earth above the bed-rock.

In initiating the construction the streamby any customary method isdiverted from its bed and the earth immediately above the proposedexcavation l? removed. The rock is then removed to form the chamber toreceive the iiume A, which is constructed as follows: First a layer oftimbers D is arrangedlongitudinally in the excavation b. Planks E arethen laid crosswise upon the timbers. Cross-tim- Serial No. 246,501. (Nomodel.)

bers F, Figs. l and 3, secured to the bed-rock' by means of the bolts G,serve to fasten the timbers D in place. The planks E are held down uponthe timbers by being confined by the sides and partition of the flume,as shown in Fig. 2. The sides a a of the ume are composed of timbers H,one above the other,as shown, and held in place by means of the ties I,Figs. l and 2, which at the inner end 'i are dovetailed or otherwisefastened to the timbers H, and thence extend into mortises b in thebed-rock, and' therein, by means of wedges t', or other means, se-

curely fastened. The fiume is divided into compartments a a2 by means ofthe partition a3, which is composed of timbers J, piled one aboveanother, and held in place by means of the bolts K, which pass downthrough the timbers J, the planks E, the timbers D, and into the rock B,substantially as shown. The gold-saving cells F, Fig. l, are

then formed just above the planks E by means of the blocks M, whichl arelaid upon the planks E, between the sides, respectively, and partition,and there wedged down upon the planks E, and also tightly laterallytogether, but so constructed and arranged as to forln a series of cellsL, extending through-V out the length of the lfiume. Each rowl of cellsis practically separated from the next row Z of cells lower down in thefiume, so that the gold dropping into the highest row l is not to anygreat extent carried thence downward into the next row Z of cel-ls, andso on from row to row to the lower end of the fiume. V

The operation of the improvement is as follows: The Hume being ready,the stream is turned into it, and the earth carried with the stream intothe fiume, as indicated by the arrows c, Fig. 3. The gold at once dropsinto the cells L and onto the planks E. Mercury is usually introducedinto the cells, and an amalgam in consequence forms upon the planks E.The earth iscarried by the water through the flume, and after passingout of the flume is discharged into a depression N, Fig. 3, and therebygot out of the way. In starting the building of the iume the practice isto begin at the brink of a fall, and in thisway a depression N isconveniently obtained. The object of the compart- IOO ments a a2 is toprovide for a continuous use of the Hume.

When it is desired to clean up, the current, by Yany suitable means-suchas a gate (not shoWn)-is diverted from one of the compartInents-say thecompartment'aand is directed entirely through the other compartment a2.The blocks M are then taken up and the planks E thereby exposed in thecompartment d', Whereuponthe gold in that compartment is readilyrecoverable. The current is then, after replacing the blocks lll, andthereby 1re-forming the cells L in the compartment ct', similarlydiverted from the compartm ent @zand directed en ti rely through" thecompartment ct. The blocks M 'are then removed from the compartment d2and the gold that has been deposited therein is recovered, as in thecompartment a. The blocks M are then replaced and the cells L re-formedin the compartment a2. The current can then be sent, as originally,through both compartments d a2, and after a suitable interval of timethe operation of recovering the gold can be repeated.

After the earth C has been substantially washed away from the bed-rockfor a dist-ance equal, say, to the length of the flume A, the bed-rockcan be excavated above the fiume, and in such new excavation anextension of the iu me can be formed, as indicated by the broken linesA', Fig. 3, and so on, as the earth C continues to bewashed away, theflume can be extended farther and farther up the course of the stream.

The form of ore-concentrator here described istdesirable for severalreasons. It is thoroughly anchored in the bed-rock, so as to effectuallywithstand the force of the current, however strong it at times maybecome. It offers no obstruction to any object, however large-such as atree, which may be carried into it by the stream. It provides manyreceptacles for the gold, which receptacles are accessible at anytime,and as the flume is extended the portion or portions previously builtbecome an efficient means for carrying oi the earth which passes'through the upper end or portion of the flume.

The cells ZZ Z2, &e., are formed by and between the beveled verticaledges of the blocks M.

I claiml. The flume made in the bed-rock of a stream and having securedto its bottom timbers the blocks M, set closely together and havingbeveled vertical edges which form transverse series or-rows ofmetal-saving pockets, substantially as specified.

2. rlhe ume made in the bed-rock of a stream and having secured to itsbottom timbers the flooring E, and upon said ooring the blocks setclosely together and having` beveled vertical edges which formtransverse rows of m etal-saving pockets, substantially as specified.

3. The flume made in the bed-rock of a stream and having bolted to itsfloor longitudinal timbers D thereabove the transverse planking orflooring E, and upon said iooring the blocks M, set closely together andhaving beveled vertical edges which form the transverse series ofpockets Z Z', the., substantially as specified.

4, In the flume A, the .combination ot the sides com posed of thelongitudinal timbers H, the ties I, with their inner ends dovetailedand' fitted in dovetailed recesses in the said timbers and extendingthence outward in recesses in the bed-rock, in which recessesthey aresecured by Wedges, and the blocks M', having beveled vertical edges andset closely together, substantially as specified'.

5. In the flume- A, the combination, with .the flooring-timbers composedof the longitudinal beams D, the transverse planking E, and the blocksM, having beveled vertical edges to form the pockets l, of the sides a,composed of the longitudinaltimbers I-I, the ties holding said sides tothe bed-rock, and the central longitudinal partition a3, composed of thetimbers J, bolted through the blocks, planking. and timbers D to thebedrock, substantially as specified.

fitness my hand' this 6th day ot April.

JOHN B. IR-VIN. llfiti'iesses:

C. D. MooDY, A. M. EvEREsT.

